The Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church had passed a ban on interracial coupling when a proposal was drafted by a former pastor. The proposal stated that the church would “not condone interracial marriage” and that “parties of such marriages will not be received as members, nor will they be used in worship services and other church functions, with the exception being funerals.”

This weekend, the Sandy Valley Conference of Free Will Baptists declared the vote null and void, because not all members of the church had participated. The conference informed the current pastor, who had originally opposed the idea, about its decision and on Sunday, he suggested that members come up with a new resolution to promote “peace, love and harmony.”

“We voted … to accept all people, regardless of race, creed or color, and to accept everyone into the fellowship of Christ,” said church pastor Stacy Stepp.

The issue initially arose when Stella Harville, a woman who had grown up attending the church, visited with her new African fiancé and was treated poorly by some members of the congregation. Harville and her fiancé were welcomed back to the church by Stepp on Sunday.